


At Last

by dannihowell (iguessicantry)



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Domestic Violence, F/M, M/M, Past Sexual Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-04-01
Packaged: 2018-05-30 11:03:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6421282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iguessicantry/pseuds/dannihowell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The sheets bare no blood. Clearly Dan is not a virgin on his wedding night. Two families must now deal with the aftermath.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

There was muffled shouting and then the banging of the large oak door. A large man, wearing a well-tailored suit, stormed out glaring at the people waiting outside the personal office of Alpha Joseph Howell.

“Did you think we wouldn’t find out?! I demanded his price back in full by the end of this week.”

“Dickon, surely we can work this out,” Howell placated to the man. “The boys truly love each other. Surely, love is more important.”

“Easy for you to say. You didn’t just spend a small fortune on the omega price of a whore!”

Veronica Howell, Joseph’s omega, stepped forward tentatively. “What has happened?”

“The sheets!”

She looked at her mate in bewilderment. “I don’t understand.”

“They were clean! Not a drop of blood. Your boy is nothing but a liar and a slut. You promised his virginity!”

“You stop that this instant. You will not stand here in my home and insult my child that way. I won’t have it!” Howell told him with an air of quiet dignity. “Where are the sheets?”

Anna Lester, Dickon’s omega, held the bundle of white sheets. She handed the fabric over to Veronica. The Howells quickly unfolded the large sheet and found not a single drop of virgin’s blood, just as Dickon had shouted earlier. Without the evidence of virginity, Dan their omega son, would be returned to his father’s home in disgrace. His bride price had been rather high considering his family, his heritage, their old money and his breeding. Now, it was almost nonexistent, Howell realized. Their eldest son, Christopher was an alpha and therefore set to inherit upon the death of his father. Daniel would be left with nothing if he did not marry well. Up until this very moment, his parents believed securing his future would be easy. Daniel had long been in love with an alpha boy named Phil whom he had known since they were in pampers. Phil’s family was their equal in every way and therefore the match seemed perfect. The wedding was planned and executed beautifully. As tradition states, the bonding sheets must be inspected by the alpha’s omega parent. If there was the mark of virginity, all would be well. If the sheets were clean, the omega would be disgraced.

“I see why you are upset, Dickon,” Veronica said softly, shaking her head. Who had taken her baby before his joyous wedding day she thought. Dan must have known that he was no longer a virgin. If it had been Phil, Dickon wouldn’t be standing here now. It must have been someone else, another alpha, who Dan was ashamed of. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Franny, the housekeeper covering her mouth in shock.

“Just be sure that his price is returned. I need to money to find my boy a more suitable omega. My lawyers will be in touch with you.” Dickon took Anna by her forearm and made his way to the door of the large estate home.

By the time the door shut and they were all alone, Veronica held up the sheets and cried into them. She knew her Daniel would never have life easy again.

—-

Dan was still waiting in the office when he heard the front door open and shut. He then heard the sound of muffled crying. His mother. He knew this had to be heart breaking for her and his father. He was their second and last child, the baby of the family. They had spent a thousands of pounds on the ceremony, ensuring that Dan enjoyed his day. And he did, up until the ride to the hotel where the marriage would be consummated. Thinking back, he probably should have told Phil that he wasn’t pure. Maybe it would have save them all the heart ache. But Dan was approaching 21 and in omega years, he should be bonded and pregnant already. What if Phil decided he didn’t want someone used and damaged? Dan had pushing his luck from the moment the engagement ring went on his left ring finger.

Howell stalked back into the spacious office and found Dan right where they left him, in the sofa near the bookshelves. Dan looked so small in this room, he always had. Despite his height, Dan was still his child, who now looked up at him with puffy red eyes and quivering lips. Howell stood over him, facial expression blank. This was no time for emotions. They needed answers.

“Dan–,”

“Papa, I’m so sorry,” Dan interrupted, voice breaking. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to.”

Howell brought his hand underneath Dan’s jaw, forcing him to look up at him. He shook his head judging what Dan had to say before he even uttered a word of explanation.

“Who?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Why?” Howell asked, remaining calm.

“Papa, I’m so ashamed. She…”

“She? She? Who took this from you?”

“She said if I didn’t let her, she would tell you that she caught Phil in my room. I thought you wouldn’t let me see him anymore so I let her have me.”

“Who, Dan? Who? Tell your Papa.”

“Aunt Isabelle.”

Howell shook his head. His sister, the one who raised him to be the man he was, would never hurt his son like this. He had to be lying. Dan was always dramatic, the spoiled brat, always making up stories when it suited.

“When?”

“The summer I turned fourteen,” Dan sniffled. “When she came for a visit.”

“Impossible. You hadn’t started your heats yet. Why would an alpha want you, a child?”

“She’s a pedophile!”

A sharp smack resonated from Dan’s cheek which he held as fresh tears fell from his eyes. “You don’t believe me?! I knew you wouldn’t! That’s why I didn’t tell anyone.”

“Either tell me the truth or else.”

Dan didn’t know what to say. Everything he had said was true. The summer of his fourteenth birthday had been, by far, the worst experience of his life. Aunt Isabelle was the alpha leader of the whole Howell family after the death of her parents. As the oldest alpha, she always had the last word. Residing in Paris for most of the year, Isabelle visited her brother’s family once a year in the summer time. Although she was alpha, her femininity never dulled. To the untrained eye, Isabelle was saintly mother figure with a sweet disposition. Dan had always enjoyed her visits as she’d make the best birthday cakes. But after fourteen, he tried to maintain a distance from her. Luckily, her visits had stopped due to illness.

“She came into my room when you and mama had gone out for dinner. Franny had the night off. You have to remember it,” Dan said, seeing his father shake his head in denial. “Remember, Papa, you left me alone with her. She came in and at first I thought she just wanted to talk. We always had late night talks when she visited by then she pushed the duvet and pulled my—she pulled my boxers off.”

“Stop it! You’re making this up!”

“No, she pinned me down and said, ‘Let me have this and I won’t tell’ and I asked her ‘what did she mean?’ She made up a lie about Phil and I knew you wouldn’t let me see him anymore. Papa, I knew you would believe her so I stopped fighting and I let her…”

Dan hadn’t realized his mother had entered the room during his admission. Her face marked abject shock and confusion.

“You’re lying!” Howell shouted.

“He’s not! I can always tell. A mother always knows. Dan blinks a lot when he lies. He’s not lying Joseph,” Veronica declared, sitting on the sofa next Dan, letting him cuddle into her. She shushed him and glared at her husband. “The marriage age is fifteen in France. Why do you think she married that little omega girl? Céline still looks like a child,” she spat.

“Do not talk about her like that.” Howell practically growled. “My sister is no pedophile.”

“Just because you say so, doesn’t make it true.” She turned her attention to Dan, kissing his hair. “We’ll sort this all out, my love. Everything will be okay. I promise.”


	2. Two

“We have a new arrival. Last night, an omega came in with his young daughter and he’s a few months along.”

“Injuries?”

“Bruising around the neck and wrists. Seems he was tied down. The child has swelling around her left eye. She’s only five years old, won’t let go of him. She has so much fear in her eyes.”

Phil got up from his desk, eyeing the beta assistant tiredly. Omega Care Center, or OCC, was a non-profit run under the skillful eye of Phil Lester. The shelter was a combination of residential buildings, a clinic, a school and day care center. After the passing of the Omega Rights Act of 2004, government funding has poured into the omega rights movement which led to the rise in shelters for the abused, mistreated, and exploited. Phil Lester ran one of the largest shelters in Kenbridge, England.  

“Take me to him,” Phil told her, allowing his assistant, Erica to show him the way. They went down corridor, delightfully painted a muted spring green decorated with framed artwork. Turning left, Erica led Phil into a waiting room.

The omega didn’t react to them entering the room but the little girl, blonde and brown-eyed, saw them both and made a small whimpering sound. Phil’s heart broke upon hearing it. What kind of home did they come from to cause a little girl to make such a terrible sound? Phil would find out and have the alpha put in prison.

“Dan, this is Phil Lester, our program’s director,” Eric said in her kindest voice. She approached Dan swiftly, waving Phil further into the room.

Dan looked up to look at Phil Lester and found his eyes going wide. “Phil?” he asked in awe. The little watched the two men curiously, unsure if her father’s reaction meant that they were safe or in imminent danger.

Phil immediately abandoned all protocol by taking Dan and his child into his arms. “I can’t believe it’s you,” he said caressing Dan’s cheek to which he flinched. There was a bruise below his eye and few more around his neck. “What happened to you? Why are you here?”

“Couldn’t take it anymore,” Dan breathed out. “He sent me out for shopping. He almost didn’t let me take Eve with me,” he gave a sad look to the tiny girl clinging to his trousers.

“Is it just the two of you?” Erica asked. “Are there any more children left behind?”

“No,” Dan shook his head. “It’s just us and,” Dan rubbed his swollen stomach, “Baby no name.”

“We have a flat ready for you then. Shall I show them, Phil?”

“No, you can’t stay here. Come with me. You’ll stay with me.”

“Phil?” Erica asked surprised and confused. “You can’t take an omega home with you.”

“You don’t understand, we were married for only about a minute. Dan belongs with me, you see. He’ll stay with me.”

“Dan, it’s your choice,” Erica told him, not feeling good about letting a vulnerable omega go home with a recent widowed alpha, even if it was Phil.

Dan reluctantly said, “Yes.”

—-

“The house keeper cleaned just this morning. Hope the smell of disinfectant won’t bother you.”

“No, it won’t” Dan smiled, just thankful for a place to go, somewhere safe for him and Eve. Phil led them further inside the house and up the stairs into a spacious bedroom. The rest of the house was quiet and dark so Dan couldn’t orient himself as he wanted. He had no clue what kind of man Phil had become in the past six or seven years. He saw photos frames on the wall and couldn’t make out the faces.

“There are towels and other linens in the closet there. The fridge is probably empty but you can have whatever you like in the cupboards. We’ll go shopping tomorrow. Are you hungry?”

Eve nodded before Dan could answer. “We left without anything. I guess I should have thought this out better.”

“Nonsense,” Phil intervened. “Your safety is what’s important. How about I go and find something to hold you over until morning.”

“We’d appreciate that. Thank you.”

Phil left them in their room and Dan turned on the lamp to soak it all in. There was more than enough to suit them for the duration of their stay here until Dan could figure out his next move. While Phil was gone, Eve felt more comfortable exploring the room on her own without hanging on to her father’s leg. She squealed with joy when she discovered a small chest of toys tucked away in the closet. She had found a baby doll and promptly named it Doll. It was bald and half covered, wearing only a cloth diaper patterned with hearts. Dan thought the little toy looked pathetic but Eve didn’t care. She was making the best of the situation and so would he.

—

Dan took Eve down stairs and found Phil had made enough sandwiches for all three of them. He wasn’t sure if Dan would even want him to hang around, especially after what he had been through. It was obvious that after their failed marriage, Dan remarried to an abusive alpha, the same one who gave him at least two children. He wondered if Dan had thought about him in the last seven years since the night of the bloodless sheets. Phil certainly had despite the fact that he had remarried himself. He had two children waiting for him just upstairs, sleeping in their beds. Their mother was dutiful, the kind of omega Phil’s father insisted he deserved. Phil never cheated on her, except in his thoughts. She passed away from complications of birth with the third baby, who also died.

“Say thank you, Eve,” Dan told the girl as she reached for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

“Thank you,” she returned, not even looking up at Phil.

“You’re welcome. My daughters love the PB&J’s and I thought you would too.”

Dan’s heart fluttered a bit as he realized that of course Phil had moved on and married to some perfect omega who was pure on their wedding night.

“Daughters?” Dan asked quietly but interested.

“Yes,” Phil nodded. “Two. They’re six and four. Alexandria and Victoria. My omega insisted that they rhyming names.” He joked.

“What if you have a boy? The ending doesn’t really work on boy names.”

“Our first boy would have been Philip Jr. of course.”

“Of course,” Dan smiled. “I remember.”

When they were younger, Dan and Phil would discuss all sorts of things in private. It was easy to assume that as teenagers they were obsessed with sex and how to ensure that Dan’s virginity was left intact; a lost cause in retrospect. But they also talked about their wedding, their first house, and the names of their babies. Dan wanted five and Phil wanted ten so they settled for three because apparently that made sense.

“You said ‘have been’…” Dan noted.

“She died two years ago in childbirth. She took little Talia with her. Don’t look at me that way, we’re doing okay,” Phil tried to smile but it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“I’m sorry. What was your omega’s name?”

“Siobhan. She was Irish. I couldn’t understand her very clearly for the first two months or so,” Phil smiled fondly.

“It was arranged?”

“Yes… After the–uh… Yes, it was arranged. My father knew her mother quite well and she was of age so we were married very quickly.”

Dan felt the jealously creep up on him slowly. He hadn’t taken a bite of food since they started the conversation. “Did you love her?”

“She’s a great friend and person to depend on. She was the mother of my children. I never wanted anything to happen to her.”

“Oh.” Dan didn’t want to pry any further.

“Who is your alpha?”

“Richard Blake. He’s a lawyer. He was only one who would take me even though everyone knew I was damaged.”

“You weren’t damaged.”

“Then why didn’t you fight your father and fight for me?”

“Because I thought you cheated on me. What was I supposed to think, Dan? You always said you were saving yourself for our wedding night and I find out you’ve already given it away.”

“That’s not what happened.” Dan looked down at his daughter who was watching them with curiosity. “Phil, I never gave anything away. Everything was stolen from me I was too afraid tell you.”

“Dan, I didn’t mean it. “

“I think it’s time we went to bed.” Dan reached for a napkin in the center of the table to wipe Eve’s face as she’d managed to get grape jelly all over her cheeks. Phil remained silent as he watched them retreat back up the stairs into the guest bedroom. He resolved at that moment to not only report Dan’s alpha for abuse but also win his heart back.


	3. Three

“Daddy, no! Don’t leave me.”

“Baby, I’m not leaving you.”

“Yes, you are! What if papa comes and you’re not here!” Eve screamed, clutching Dan’s sleeve as she cried. Dan needed to go with Phil to file the report as well as run a few errands. Neither of them had any clothes other than the ones on their backs. Phil had offered to loan Dan the money because Dan wouldn’t just take it like Phil wanted.

“Papa doesn’t know where you are. You’re safe here.”

“No!”

“Maybe we should just take her,” Phil suggested. “We should get that bruise checked out too.” Phil gestured to his own eye to point out the rather dark bruise right below the child’s face.

Dan replied, in a whisper, “If he sees me, he’ll take her and I’ll never see her again if he does. She needs to stay here.”

“You’re right. Of course you are,” Phil agreed quickly. “Eve, would you like it if Mrs. White makes you pancakes?”

“No,” she mumbled into Dan’s leg.

“Oh, you must be hungry. You love pancakes, especially with strawberries and whipped cream,” Dan told her. “Daddy needs you to stay here, okay? Have breakfast with the other girls and I’ll be back before you know it. If you stay, you can play,” he bargained. The five year old, ever obedient, finally nodded and said, “Okay.”

“Good girl.” Dan kissed her, twice on each cheek, before standing up straight again. The movement had put a strain on his back and he groaned with restraint, not wanting Eve to worry even more.

Phil walked back into the house to find Mrs. White, his omega house keeper. She had lost her mate years before and as a favor to his own late wife, Phil hired her as nanny and housekeeper. She was an elderly woman who likened herself as a grandmother type, always baking sweet things and cuddling (spoiling) the little ones.

“Mrs. White,” Phil called. The woman answered cheerfully from the upstairs hallway. Phil followed her voice and soon found her in the shared bedroom of his two daughters.

“My guest has a little girl. Her name is Eve. Can you see to it that she’s taken care of?”

“Of course, Alpha Lester.”

“Papa, is she nice?” six-year-old Alexandria asked as Mrs. White brushed her straight brown hair dutifully. The Lester girls would not look abandoned she’d say.

Phil entered the room, getting closer to both of them. He got on one knee so that he could look into their blue-gray eyes, the same as their mother’s. “She’s five years old and very nice. Do you remember what I told you about my job? That some people have to leave their homes because it isn’t safe?” They both nodded. “She’s very scared and I need you to be extra lovely to her. You know what it’s like to be scared, right?”

“Yes,” Victoria told him, pouting. “Like when there’s a storm with lighten-ning and thunder.”

Phil nodded seriously. “Just like that. It’s not a nice feeling. Can you help by making sure she feels safe?”

“How?”

“Being her friend and playing nicely.”

“Okay, Papa.” Alexandria, as the oldest, was always willing to take on new duties and chores. Of course, Victoria would follow suit.

“Thank you,” Phil told them before place a kiss on each of their foreheads. “I’ll be home later. Love you.”

“Love you too,” the both responded. As Mrs. White ushered them into the bathroom for washing up, Phil requested that breakfast be pancakes topped with strawberries and whipped scream.

—-

Dan hadn’t felt this violated since his wedding night; his second wedding night. He stood almost completely naked as an examiner took photos and notes for his chart. The lacerations covered the length of his body and the bruises were all different colors, showing the variety of the ages. His alpha was no only cruel but consistently so. If Dan failed in some way, he was beaten. Not even pregnancy granted any leniency. But he tried not to think about the past, the hands and belts used to hold him down and torture him or the screams of his child when she was locked away from him hungry and scared. He was liable to cry. That would top off this wonderful procedure.

“I’m sorry. We have to gather evidence. It’s your word against his.”

“I understand.”

—

Dan was silent on the drive towards the shopping district. Phil had tried to find a radio station Dan would enjoy but found that he knew nothing about him anymore.

“You okay?” Phil asked casually.

“Yes.”

“I don’t believe you,” Phil said in sing-song manner.

“Why don’t you just fuck off,” Dan replied just the same, but with a smile to show that he was joking.

“There’s my Dan. I haven’t heard you swear in years,” the other man laughed. “I feel whole again.”

“Oh shove off.”

“Do you still listen to At Last?”

“Only like every day. Don’t really like their new drummer though.”

“What? You don’t think he’s cute like all the other omegas?”

“I’m not really into that whole big, buff, tough guy look. Plus, he’s absolute shit.”

“Well, what look are you into?”

“Not so damn muscular, first of all. He’d crush me in bed.”

Phil found Dan’s opinions truly enjoyable. Glad that they still had something in common like their favorite band from adolescence, Phil couldn’t stop smiling. The tension had finally faded away and they might be able to talk without biting and snapping.

“I don’t know. I kinda like their new sound.”

“You would,” Dan scoffed. “You never had any taste. It was me who introduced you to good music in the first place.”

“Not true!”

“Yes, true. Who had a better collection all through our childhood?”

Phil rolled his eyes. He rolled his eyes because it was true. “Fine. Do you still play?”

“Nah. My alpha didn’t let me keep the piano my parents left me in their wills.”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s alright. My brother has it. He wouldn’t let it get sold out of the family.”

“No, I mean about your parents. I hadn’t heard. How…?”

Dan leaned back in the passenger’s seat, trying to stretch out and relieve the pain in his back. Baby no-name really put a strain on his body. With sigh, he said, “Alpha said that there had been a robbery and both of them were killed.”

“You don’t believe him?”

“Alpha was a liar and manipulator. I’m not even sure they’re dead. He didn’t give me permission to attend the funeral.”

“That’s probably why I hadn’t heard that they died,” Phil added. “My parents would have said something. They know everything about this social circle despite past arguments.”

“Like promising a virgin for your heir.”

“I didn’t want to say it out like that but yes.”

Dan still smiled. Phil was the same as he had always been and it felt like home, just being able to argue with him made him happy. “Can I clear something up?”

“Go ahead.”

“I didn’t cheat on you, at least not technically.”

Phil paid attention to his parking maneuvers, trying carefully not to hit a parked vehicle.

“Did you hear me?” Dan asked realizing that Phil’s attention was divided. Once parked, Phil turned down the radio completely and turned to Dan.

“Go on.”

“I didn’t cheat on you.”

Dan’s eyes met Phil’s intensely. He was telling the truth. Phil hadn’t been betrayed and Dan wasn’t guilty but more needed to be disclosed.

“But…”

“I lost my physical virginity many years ago, before I made my promise to you.”

“You made that promise when we were in high school, Dan. How young—“

“Fourteen.”

“Who?”

“My aunt.”

“Isabelle? The one who hated me?”

Dan nodded. “That actually makes sense now. She knew I was yours and she didn’t like it.”

“Dan, are you telling me she raped you?”

Phil didn’t bother to wait for the answer before he reached across the gear shift and pulled Dan in a strong embrace. “If I knew… If I knew…”

Phil couldn’t finish the sentence because if he did nothing would change. Dan would still be on the run with his young daughter while pregnant. He would still be a man who lived without. Their short-lived marriage would still be annulled. Nothing would change.

“She had threatened me and I was afraid you wouldn’t be allowed to see me so I kept it a secret. It was stupid looking back on it now.”

“No. No. Don’t blame yourself at all. She never should have forced you to make that sacrifice. Dan, I never stopped loving you. I felt hurt of course, but I know now that you never lied to me.”

“You would have still married me if you knew what she did?”

“I’ll marry you now.” Phil had said it without thinking. It was just that Phil had been thinking about the omega since their wedding night and especially after the death of his own wife when he’d been so lonely.

Dan pulled back slowly, wiping away his tears. “Phil, you can’t mean that.”

“I’m not sure, to be honest.”

“We barely know each other. I’m still married.”

Phil nodded in agreement. With a sigh, he said, “Are you still in a shopping mood?”

Dan looked out the window at the full car park, anxiety overcoming him. “There’s too many people and I really want to go back to Eve.”

“Let’s go home.”


	4. Four

Dan sat with Eve and Phil just outside the courtroom door to hear the verdict of his abuse case. After the passing of the Omega Rights Act of 2004, no omega was subject to testifying in open court. They simply had to offer evidence for their case, which for Dan consisted of pictures of bruising on his and Eve’s bodies. Phil helped him through every step of the process and even allowed Dan to continue living with him. All three girls enjoyed having an extra playmate and even Mrs. White had grown attached to the little blonde.

By this time Dan was heavily pregnant but remained standing on his feet, too apprehensive to sit. Most people were convinced that Omega abuse cases were open and shut. Omega were cherished in the new millennium due to the decreases in population all over. They were the only humans that could reproduce and therefore considered a top priority. However, many alphas, like Richard Blake had been raised in the old tradition of abusing those who were subservient, including omegas and their own children.

“Guilty.”

There was a muffled banging of a gavel and more speaking in a woman’s voice. Dan knew it must be the judge handing out the sentence. He’d watched enough telly to know what came next.

“This is it, Dan,” Phil smiled. “He’ going away for life. Your marriage will be dissolved and Eve is completely yours.”

“She always has been,” Dan said quietly, looking down at the girl playing with her fingers. “He said he would take her away to some other country if I misbehaved. One morning, I didn’t wake up before him and that’s when I knew we had to run. He never lied about his threats, Phil. But she’s still mine.”

Phil placed a hand on Dan’s shoulder and nodded understandingly. “Ready to go?”

“Yes. Finally.”

On the ride home, Dan and Phil were talking about plans for him to move out and Phil had made it abundantly clear that he didn’t want Dan to go. His own daughters loved Dan already and a single omega with two young children would not have it easy. A newborn would make it impossible even with the money allotted to him from the courts for restitution.

“Do you really want to live without an alpha in the house?”

“Phil, as far as I’m concerned, I don’t want to see another alpha for as long as I live.”

“Ouch.”

“You know what I mean.”

“When you have this baby, you’ll realize that you’re not making any sense. Mrs. White and I will be there for all three of you. Plus, we haven’t had a baby in the house in a long time.”

Dan sighed and rolled his eyes. “Can we drop this?”

“Fine.”

“Alpha Phil?” Eve asked, from her bumper seat in the back.

“Yes?”

“Are you going to be my new Papa?”

Phil nearly slammed on the brake. Dan turned to glare at him. Eve waited for an answer.

“You put her up to this,” Dan whispered harshly.

“No, I swear,” Phil shook his head. “Though it’s not a bad idea.”

“Shut up.” Dan’s hormones were all over the place and at that moment nothing made him contented. Every suggestion was refused despite its logic. “Eve, you have Daddy and that’s all you’ll ever need. Okay?”

“Okay.”

—-

“Tori starts school this year,” Phil told Dan as shared a moment of peace while the girls were playing outside.

“Victoria? Isn’t she an omega?”

“Yes. It isn’t like when we were young, you know. Omegas go to school too now. Tori’s going to kindergarten. Eve would be in Year 1 this autumn.”

“I can’t afford that. It must be expensive.”

“Nothing I couldn’t handle. Alex goes to alpha school for free so I can afford two tuition payments.”

“Are you offering to send my daughter to school?”

“Yes,” Phil affirmed. “She should go. They all should.”

Dan eyed him suspiciously. “And what do I have to do in return?”

“Oh nothing.”

“Really?”

“Except marry me.”

“If that was a proposal, it was a pretty shit one.”

“Fine. Dan, will you marry me?”

Phil hadn’t made eye contact at all. He stood there watching the children play from the kitchen door and asking the question as if he’d asked Dan what he wanted for dinner.

“No.”

“Oh come on!” he said, turning around. “I love you. I love Eve. I love little no-name already. Marry me.”

“I—I can’t.”

“Why not? You’ve lived here for months. We’re right back to where we left off. We know everything about each other.”

Dan shook his head, moving away from the door and the chill of the autumn air. He laid a protective hand on his belly before replying, “You don’t know what’s happened to me. You don’t know every detail. You can’t. I haven’t told you and Eve certainly doesn’t know. You don’t know everything about me.”

“What aren’t you telling me, Dan?”

“This baby isn’t Richard’s,” Dan confessed. “He’s practically impotent.”

Phil’s furrowed his brow. “Then whose is it?”

“I don’t know. I couldn’t get pregnant for years and Richard got desperate. He didn’t want anyone to know something was wrong with him. He couldn’t be an alpha if they knew. Of course, the best way to prove if you’re an alpha is to produce a brood of children. We only had Eve so he let someone that I didn’t know…”

“What did you do?”

“What could I do?” Dan asked him. He eyes shined from the impending tears as he relived what had happened to him. For Dan it seemed that people were always going to take advantage of him. And so far, they had. “Alpha made me drink alcohol so I wouldn’t be able to remember any of it. But I remember every fucking detail. All I know is that the other man was blond and blue eyed like Richard. I know his face but I don’t know his name. I found out I was pregnant four weeks later.”

“What are you most afraid of?” Phil asked, remaining in his spot, making sure that the others couldn’t interrupt them.

“When my baby is born, I’ll see that man’s face and I won’t love him.”

“You love Eve though.”

Dan nodded.

“You love her even though she wasn’t conceived in love. Dan, she doesn’t really look like you, does she?”

“No,” he chuckled. “She’s the spitting image of her father but she’s so gorgeous. I may be biased but she is _the_ most beautiful child.”

“I can’t say I agree,” Phil joked. “But you prove my point. Her father was just as brutal. You still love her. You’ll love this baby too.”

“You’re right. I know you are. I just… I’m so scared. I can’t do this on my own.”

“You won’t have to,” Phil told him. “Come here. I want you to see something.”

Dan shuffled closer to where Phil was standing by the glass sliding door. When he looked out into the back garden, he saw the girls embraced in a group hug. Eve’s wispy blonde hair stood out and Dan could tell that she was laughing. He’d never seen his daughter so care free, so childlike. Before they ran away, Eve seemed to bare the weight of the world on her shoulders and carried worry in her gaze. Now, she was finally acting like a five-almost-six year old.

“She’s so happy here.”

“Are you?”

Was he? Dan’s bruises were almost all gone. He’d been able to do as he pleased. He was able to visit the OB/GYN/AND for his prenatal checkups, a luxury he hadn’t received under the care of his old alpha. He’d grown to love Phil’s daughters and had built friendship with Mrs. White and the neighbors. Phil made sure Dan had his freedom. Phil made sure to treat him like he was human and frankly, Dan was happier than he had been in a very long time.

“Yes, I am.”

“Will you marry me then?”

Dan let out a breathy laugh. “Are you still an awful kisser?”

“I was not an awful kisser!”

“Phil…”

“How about I show you how much I’ve improved since high school.”

Dan soon found himself in Phil’s heady embrace as their lips connected and parted. Dan’s body went limp as he let Phil’s tongue glide over his own and Phil’s hands settle on his waist. His pregnant bump had made it hard to get as close as he wanted but Dan didn’t that take over his thoughts. He took in Phil’s everything and gave back just as much. As they pulled away, Dan whispered, “Definitely better than high school.”

Before Phil could even react, they heard a clapping sound and found Mrs. White squealing, barely able to contain herself. “It’s about bloody time!” she said, not caring about her lack of professionalism. “Oh wait until the book club hears about this…”


	5. Epilogue

_Four Years Later_

“My, you have quite a large brood with you, dear. And expecting another in just a few weeks, I presume.”

Dan smiled at the unfamiliar woman who joined him on the park bench. She was dressed quite well and had a dog sitting in her lap. The animal clearly had more grooming than Dan had ever received in his life. The thought made him laugh. Dan could tell she was an omega and in middle age.

“Yes, this little one will join us in June.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” she grinned. “I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful your children were. Their coloring is absolutely gorgeous. Not too pale and freckled.”

“My alpha has freckles so it’s funny that you mention that,” Dan said in warning. No one would insult him or his family, even in a backhanded manner.

“Well, they must get it from you,” she resolved. “My two boys have the most awful time with their skin. We couldn’t go on holiday without triple checking for sun cream lotion.”

“My alpha is the same way but he manages. I quite like the way he looks.”

She chuckled knowingly and gestured to his stomach. “That’s obvious by the looks of it. How many did you bring with you?”

“Five.” Tori, Allie, and Eve were all stood together by the swings. Hannah, the last child he had for Richard Blake, had found her own group of friends closer to her age of four. Olivia, the current baby of the family, was fast asleep in her stroller.

Just then Eve, who had just turned nine, sprinted over to Dan. Her blonde hair flew in her face but she happily tucked the hair behind her ear. “Daddy, can we have money for ice cream?”

“You’ll spoil your supper,” he said.

“No, we won’t,” she smiled cunningly. “Pretty please? We’ll make sure you get a chocolate one too.”

Dan’s craving had been insane during this pregnancy and he had been eating anything, especially it was covered in chocolate. His latest invention was chocolate-covered potato crisps. His daughters all knew about the cravings and used every opportunity to make it work in their favor.

Dan rolled his eyes and sighed, knowing he’d been beaten and pulled out his wallet. He handed over a note and the girl was gone as fast as she had come.

“She’s a pretty one. Just where did she get that blonde from? Your alpha?” the woman prodded.

“Uh…”

“Your other children all have different shades of brunette and I might even say black hair but she sticks out in the crowd doesn’t she.”

“M-My mother had blonde hair and Eve got it,” Dan lied. No one needed to know that Eve had a different sire, that he had been married, divorced, married, divorced and married again. This woman was far too nosey to begin with. No need to fuel the fire.

“Oh how lovely for her. Maybe your next one will get it too.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Dan smiled uneasily, wishing the woman would go away. He would move but that could upset Olivia and she really needed that nap. It would be impossible to deal with her otherwise.

“Well, it was nice talking to you,” she said standing up and putting her overpriced dog on the ground. “Ta-Ta.”

Dan bid her goodbye, thankful to be rid of her at last.

Later that night, Dan noticed just how out of place Eve looked in the room full of dark-haired, dark-eyed children. Though Phil’s eyes were blue, all of his own children had brown eyes like his late wife or Dan.

“What are you thinking about?” Phil asked, reaching around Dan’s stomach to hug him from behind.

“Eve must be so unhappy,” Dan said solemnly.

“What makes you say that?”

“She doesn’t look like anybody in the family. Even Hannah looks like me. Your girls all look like you.”

“Eve is my girl.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yeah, I’m saying Eve is mine. She’s my daughter just as much as Victoria or Olivia. Now, did she say something to you?”

Dan pulled away from him and sat down in one of the armchairs in their living room. “She didn’t.” Dan looked up at Phil silently pleading with him to fix the problem currently plaguing him.

“Who did, then?”

“There was this omega today and she went on and on about how Eve’s looks were so different from the rest of the kids. I started really looking today and she really doesn’t fit in.”

“Do you want to dye her hair? Make her wear contacts to cover her beautiful hazel eyes?”

“No, of course not. I just…”

“Get worried?”

“Yeah. She might be okay now but one day she’s gonna see it too.”

Phil’s hand found Dan’s shoulder, offering his omega comfort. Dan was always more emotional in the last trimester.

“And if she does, we’ll tell her she’s always been a part of this family. We don’t care how she looks. She’s beautiful just the way she is and we’ll always love her.”

Dan smiled. “You’re a good father, Phil.” Caressing his swollen middle, he added, “This one doesn’t know how lucky they are.” Without another word, Phil pressed a kiss to Dan’s forehead and one on the fabric covering his stomach.

**Author's Note:**

> follow me on tumblr  
> [danni-howell](https://danni-howell.tumblr.com/)


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